Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toilet seat assemblies that will conveniently accommodate an adult, a child, or a pet.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 1,189,767 discloses a series of nested toilet seats having different sized openings therethrough positioned above a toilet bowl such that individuals may each select the toilet seat to be used by such individual and with toilet seats having smaller openings than found in the selected seat being moved out of position by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,046 discloses a family toilet seat assembly to be positioned on a toilet and having a first adult toilet seat with a large opening for use by adults, and with the large opening having a surrounding lip that extends downwardly into the toilet bowl and a second child toilet seat having a smaller opening with a lip extending downwardly into the opening of the adult seat and a cover fitting within and spanning the opening of the child toilet seat.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 309,176 discloses a combination adult and child seat and cover wherein an adult seat has a large opening into a toilet, a child seat fits entirely over the adult seat and has a smaller hole therethrough and a cover fits over both the child seat and the adult seat.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 356,635 discloses a combination adult and child toilet seat and cover wherein a cover fits on and rests on a child toilet seat, which, in turn, rests on an adult toilet seat. The child and adult toilet seats and the cover appear to have the same peripheral dimensions.
The Internet at EveryBody Potty.com shows a seat assembly having an adult toilet seat and a child toilet seat pivoted to a common hinge and with the child toilet seat arranged to rest on the sides of the top surface of the adult toilet seat. The usual toilet seat cover is also hinged to the common hinge and has an undersurface recessed to fit over the child toilet seat when the cover is closed.
The invention includes a conventional adult toilet seat having a standard hole therethrough and with the wall of the hole beveled inwardly from the top surface of the seat to the bottom surface thereof. A child toilet seat is hinged to pivot between a raised up position and a lowered position overlying the adult seat. The child toilet seat has a hole therethrough that is aligned with the hole through the adult toilet seat but that is smaller than the standard hole. A cover fits within the smaller hole and has a peripheral edge that is beveled to conform to the beveled edge of the smaller hole. In this fashion, the child toilet seat and cover cooperate to cover the adult toilet seat.
An optional animal waste receiving receptacle is mounted to be positioned between the beveled edge of the cover and to engage the beveled edge of the smaller hole. Air passage is provided through the seat assembly between the adult and child toilet seats that are spaced apart by stops carried beneath the child toilet seat and into a toilet bowl of a toilet on which the adult and child toilet seat assembly is mounted.
The cover is hinged to pivot between an upright position and a lowered position fitting into the smaller hole, with the cover forming a continuation of the seating surface of the child toilet seat. A support arm is pivotally connected to the cover and to the child toilet seat to provide a brace for the cover when the cover is raised. In such an optional embodiment, the cover in the raised position may act as a seat back for a child sitting on the child toilet seat.
The child toilet seat may optionally include a removable combination footrest/step attached thereto to provide a footrest for a child sitting on the child toilet seat and to facilitate a child climbing onto the toilet to sit on the child toilet seat when the child acquires the physical skills necessary for climbing onto the child toilet seat.
The child seat also may optionally include a removable receptacle to receive disposable splash deflectors that will attach to the front edge of the surrounding rim of the hole through the child seat and that will serve to deflect a fluid stream from a boy sitting on the child seat into the toilet on which the toilet seat assembly is mounted.
An optional pet waste receiving receptacle is hinged on the same hinge pin as the child seat and is positioned between the beveled edge surrounding the hole through the child seat and the beveled edge of the cover. The receptacle has a peripheral wall that is slanted inwardly from a top edge to a bottom edge so that the receptacle will rest on the beveled edge of the smaller hole through the child toilet seat and will snugly receive the inclined peripheral edge of the cover. An optional disposable liner is provided to fit into the receptacle and will be positioned over the toilet bowl when the receptacle is separated from the raised cover and is lowered into position resting on the beveled edge of the hole through the child toilet seat. Optionally, the liner will have an adhesive material around at least a portion of the outer rim thereof to be releasably secured to the peripheral edge of the hole through the child toilet seat. A dispenser for holding a supply of the disposable liners is releasably attached to the bottom of the adult toilet seat.
In use, the adult toilet seat, child toilet seat, cover, and, if provided, an optional animal waste receptacle, are all pivoted to proximate the toilet bowl. Access to the interior of the toilet bowl can then be accomplished merely by raising the adult toilet seat together with the child toilet seat, cover, and optional animal waste receptacle. The adult toilet seat can be made ready for use merely by pivoting the child toilet seat to its fully raised position. The adult toilet seat is then ready for use.
The child toilet seat can be made ready for use by leaving the child toilet seat in its fully lowered position and raising the cover and the optional animal waste receptacle that is frictionally secured to the cover, if provided. Thereafter, the optional animal waste receptacle can be separated from the cover and then be fully lowered into engagement with the peripheral edge of the child toilet seat. An optional disposable liner, that is made of material that will entice the animal is placed in the optional animal waste receptacle and the seat assembly is ready for use by a pet, such as a cat. After use by the animal and/or depending upon the needs of adults and children the used disposable liner is removed from attachment to the child toilet seat and is dropped into the toilet bowl to soak and disintegrate so that the toilet may be safely flushed.